Friday, February 15, 2008

Unease Revisited

As I posted a seemingly anti-Obama article, a reader and Obama supporter requested I post some salient points on the other side. I think that's only fair...

(A reader writes...) I'm bothered by the picture you chose to include in your post. It's fake and we all know that. Somehow these fake pictures have a way of getting into peoples minds and becoming real.

I'm sure you guessed, but I am an Obama supporter. As a supporter I don't mind if you vote against him, think he's the worst candidate ever, and bad for Israel. That's your right, I disagree, but those are fair opinions.

What isn't a fair opinion is carrying on about him being a Muslim. He made a commitment to a church, was baptized, and attends regularly.

But somehow these lies persist. I don't understand how they do. And when I see how quickly lies like this spread I get afraid.

I'm not trying to convince you that Senator Obama is the best thing ever. I just would like to see some of the outrageous stories die off so we can focus on what policies are best.

This article, here, on a past event in Senator Obama's life does a beautiful job in showing him to be a truly stand up guy. We would all be lucky if our leaders acted so well.

Fair points. The truth is, I'm not following the US election very closely. My personal tendency is towards the Republican side, though I've been completely, and I do mean completely, disappointed by Bush. I hear that Obama has taken some reasonable positions regarding Israel and Middle East politics, and though a few have been a bit amateurish, so were Bush's at this stage in the election process last time around.

My unease is focused on something different. In a truly multi-cultural US, where people have come, made their lives in America, and their children are making successful futures right up to running for President, do we consider that background? Do we consider people's backgrounds at that level, when such a thing is done to a Jew, would it be ok, would I find it acceptable? (No.)